Lees Creek

Anthony, Jedsada, and I going up Lees Creek to Lees Creek hut for a night expecting this little valley to be void of people over the holiday weekend. Wonder why is it not called Lees Creek hut on the hut sign? DOC and LINZ call it Lees Creek hut, so maybe there was just not enough room on the bit of wood?

Friday 29/03/2013
Not much cloud up the Rainbow compared to Lake Rotoiti, a bit of a warm day. We parked at Lees Creek car park and when we where getting ready another group of trampers arrived, they too heading for Lees Creek. As we where hoping to use the small four bunk hut there arrival hastened our departure.

We did get there first and settled in and ate and drank then off for a walk.

Went for a walk up the first valley on the true right above the hut. Did not get out onto the tops even though we could see a easy enough route. Another little valley to explore.

In total camped in the valley was one group of four, a couple, and a group of maybe five, with three tents. And this all in a place we thought would have no one. Coming up this valley it is best to bring some shelter.
Saturday 30/03/2013
Woken up in the early hours of the morning by a massive thump, thought the hut was falling down. Nope just Jedsada falling out of one of the top bunks onto the floor and he had no injury, so back to sleep.  Time to leave this valley, I shall be back with more days.

Was not so hot on the walk out today, still lots of wasps.

The big rock that the swing bridge over the Wairau goes to is an interesting start or finish to the Lees Creek valley.

Trip Times

Friday 29/03/2013
1059 Left from Lees Creek car park
1126 At the second swing bridge crossing Lees Creek
1306 At Lee Creek hut
Saturday 30/03/2013
0906 Left Lee Creek hut
1110 Crossing Lees Creek swing bridge
1132 At the Wairau swing bridge
1140 At the car
 
Map

Waiohine Pinnacles

The planned trip was to not go down Pinnacle Spur, it was ment to be continue onto Arete, Bannister, Waingawa, Cow Saddle and back to Kiriwhakapapa Road end. The weather was great, some winds on the tops. Three of us went, Jessie, Paul, and myself. The meeting point was Cow Creek hut.

Friday 22/03/2013
Paul and I drove to Kiriwhakapapa Road end and walked into Cow Creek hut getting there just after eight p.m.; and Jessie arrived sometime after two a.m.

Saturday 23/03/2013
We left the hut at nine and headed up "Track not maintained" onto Table Ridge. The track is in great condition compared to last time I walked it, it even has been OT'ed.

The tarn on Table Ridge was full did not expect that with how dry its been; the last few days of rain has been good for this rain forest.

Had a few stops and starts on Table Ridge as Jessie tried to take a more direct route; one of those short cuts that becomes a long cut.

On Girdlestone, which used to have a Trig, have not been here for a few years.

Tarn Ridge hut and its colorful roof.

Took too long to get here and that means that tomorrow would be a big day so we are not going to go over Bannister etc. Instead we are staying here for the night and will head down Pinnacle Spur into the Waingangawa river and down to Cow Creek tomorrow.

Sunday 24/03/2013
Left Tarn Ridge hut just before nine and headed off. Paul and I got to point 1400 on the Waiohine Pinnacles and realised that we had lost Jessie. I did Tarn Ridge three times that day I began to think he had gone down into the Wiangawa River but he had been waiting on the knob just North of the grave out of our site. We all got back together except for that other guy who kept taking off. Great views into the upper Waiohine.

Good fun going up the Waiohine Pinnacles as we had views and nice weather, my last trip here was clag and clag. View down Pinnacle Spur.

Down and down then cross the river and stop at Arete Forks hut for lunch. Then off down the gorge, river much deeper that last time. We had four minor swims in the gorge just before Cow Creek hut.

Drowned rats stopped at the hut to change cloths and to have a meal before heading off out to Kiwiwhakapapa Road end.
Trip Times

Friday 22/03/2013
1727 Left Kiriwhakapapa Road end for Cow Creek hut
1838 Junction to Blue Range hut
1931 Waingawa River Track turnoff
2016 Cow Creek hut
Saturday 23/03/2013
0859 Left Cow Creek hut
1021 Out of the bush onto Table Rid1152 The Tarn
1210 Brockett
1256 Back at the Tarn
1409 Girdlestone
1500 Tarn Ridge hut
Sunday 24/03/2013
0850 Left Tarn Ridge hut
1233 Pinnacle Spur
1439 Arete Forks hut
1523 Left Arete Forks hut
1841 Cow Creek hut
1935 Left Cow Creek hut
2049 Waingawa River Track turnoff
2201 Junction to Blue Range hut
2322 Kiriwhakapapa Road end

Map

Maungahuka Hut Return From Otaki Forks

This trip is with Steve and Jessie who I met last weekend up at North Ohau, aim to meet Friday at Otaki Forks and head to Fields for the night. Its their first trip involving the infamous Tararau Peaks ladder.

However we meet up at Fields hut the next morning as they arrived about eleven o'clock Friday night. Me was already asleep, as I got away from work much earlier than expected. By the time they arrived the hut was getting full and they slept on mattreses on the floor.

Friday 08/03/2013
Left the Otaki Forks car park at half sixish and was at Fields hut just on eight. Three downstairs two upstairs. Headed off up the hill for views and a colorful sunset. Yakked on the phone as well.

Back at the hut and sipping a few drams of Bowmore 12yo from Centre City Wines and Spirits Wellington. An easy Tararua sipping whisky from the Isle of Ila; just not cask strength. Getting ready for sleep and more arrived and more etc. Hut almost full.

Saturday 09/03/2013
Expected a clear hot day and got a day of light cloud, which turned out to be great walking conditions. Never rained just blew a bit and didnt have the wall to wall blue sky views that we wanted.

Steve and Jessie in light cloud along the ridge near McIntosh.

Cruising up one of the little rock climbs as we get closer to the Tararua peaks.

Tunui obscured by fine mist, just a lump we pass by on our way to Maungahuka.

Down the ladder pictures with not much visability.

On the last little goat track heading to the top of Maungahuka.

Steve and Jessie find a use for the DOC ware on the top of Maungahuka

The Tararua Peaks from near Maungahuka hut.

We got to the hut and there where plenty of beds, just two people there. Erwin and Gailyn. Its great when you meet other people out tramping and they all have an interest in the exploration of back country New Zealand. A great way to find out about interesting places to go. For instance I learnt from Erwin about the pots in the Otaki River and I shared Snowberry knowledge.

Sunday 10/03/2013
Up early and leaving as soon as possible as its a wee way out to Otaki Forks and it was a hot day.  The three of us outside the Maungahuka hut before heading away. All five of us decided to head off together.

Assorted photos of ascending Tuiti up the ladder and then the rocks with the handy steel cables and in good clear weather.

Erwin and Ian Standing on Tunui photographed by Gailyn from Tuiti. This was our second time on top that day, first time was on our way past before climbing up the ladder on our way from Maungahuka. Erwin decided to climb Tunui so I joined him, the good weather made it very easy to find the way up. A wee bit of exposure when looking down from the top. We went back down and then the group of us headed up the ladder. While we where on top of Tuiti it was realised that this would have been a good place to take a photo of us when we where on Tunui. So back we went and got this photo.

The flowers and Snowberry's.

And on the way to Fields I took a quick trip to Kime to check on the state of the new hut.

Trip Times

Friday 08/03/2013
1830 Left Otaki Forks overnight carpark
2007 At Fields hut
Saturday 09/03/2013
0830 Left Fields hut
0908 Penn Creek turnoff
1556 On the top of Maungahuka
1609 At Maunghuka hut
Sunday 10/03/2013
0859 Left Maangahuka hut
1531 Side trip to Kime hut
1701 Field H\hut
1820 Left Field hut
1940 Otaki Forks

North Ohau

North Ohau is a really nice hut up a gorge and when the weather is hot and the water shallow it is an excellent place to relax. The first day of autumn and my first autumn tramp for the year. Still summer weather. Got dropped off at Poads Road on Friday evening and walked up the river to North Ohau hut. A very dry track and shallow river.

On Saturday after a realxing morning went up river to check out the waterfall. Only went as far as the slot like pools.

More of the spiders, this one shot into the water as I approached.

Disturbed a hind beside the creek and she stood in the middle for about a minute untill I used the zoom on my camera. She bolted and I got no photo. Back at the hut two more trampers had arrived, Steve and Jessie from Upper Hutt. Had lots of good tramping discussions.

Sunday was an easy wander out, left after lunch and got to Poads Road for pickup.

Trip Times

Friday 01/03/2013
1801 Left Poads Road
1854 In the South Ohau river
1924 North South Ohau junction
1946 Cairn on log
2005 North Ohau hut
Saturday 02/03/2013
1248 Left hut heading up river, took the fork on the true left
1634 Back at North Ohau hut
Sunday 03/03/2013
1247 Left North Ohau hut
1302 Cairn on the log
1324 North South Ohau junction
1350 Bush track start
1441 Poads Road end